One of two newly approved drugs for Alzheimer’s disease has been submitted for National Health Insurance (NHI) coverage, and it might be discussed by the end of the year, National Health Insurance Administration (NHIA) Director-General Shih Chung-liang (石崇良) said yesterday.
Shih made the remark at a book launch in Taipei, where author Lin Ching-yun (林靜芸), a celebrity cosmetic surgeon, introduced her new book on caring for her husband, Lin Fang-yue (林芳郁), former Minister of Health and former superintendent of three medical centers, who developed dementia five years ago.
The establishment of the Professor Lin Fang-yue Medical Education and Health Foundation was also announced at the news conference.
Photo: Lin Chih-yi, Taipei Times
Shih, who was a student of Lin Fang-yue, attended the event and was asked by reporters about the new Alzheimer’s disease drugs.
Last week, the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in New Taipei City announced that one of the newly approved Alzheimer’s drugs, Kisunla, the brand name of the monoclonal antibody donanemab, developed by US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co, would be administered for the first time in Taiwan today.
Shih said that there are currently two FDA-approved drugs for Alzheimer’s treatment in Taiwan, with one having already applied for NHI coverage.
The other drug is Leqembi, the brand name of lecanemab, a monoclonal antibody medication developed jointly by Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai and US pharmaceutical company Biogen.
Kisunla and Leqembi have demonstrated the ability to slow cognitive decline in people with early-stage Alzheimer’s.
Kisunla is undergoing a health technology assessment (HTA), Shih said, adding that it typically takes at least 45 days to complete, depending on the completeness of the data provided by the pharmaceutical company.
For the drug to be included in NHI coverage, it must first pass the HTA, then undergo specialists’ reviews, before the Pharmaceutical Benefit and Reimbursement Scheme Joint Committee makes a final decision, which could take at least six months, Shih said.
Asked if Kisunla might be included in NHI coverage by the end of the year, Shih said that it was possible that discussions could begin before the year ends, but since Leqembi is also expected to apply for NHI coverage, both drugs might be discussed together.
Asked for confirmation, Shih said that the NHIA had only received an official application for Kisunla, but reportedly, Leqembi intends to apply as well, so there is no fixed timeline for when they would be included.
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
ECONOMIC BENEFITS: The imports from Belize would replace those from Honduras, whose shrimp exports have dropped 67 percent since cutting ties in 2023 Maintaining ties with Taiwan has economic benefits, Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials said yesterday, citing the approval of frozen whiteleg shrimp imports from Belize by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an example. The FDA on Wednesday approved the tariff-free imports from Belize after the whiteleg shrimp passed the Systematic Inspection of Imported Food, which would continue to boost mutual trade, the ministry said. Taiwan’s annual consumption of whiteleg shrimps stands at 30,000 tonnes, far exceeding domestic production, the ministry said. Taiwan used to fill the gap by importing shrimps from Honduras, but purchases slumped after Tegucigalpa severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan